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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606463">One Is The Loneliest Number</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherGreyUser/pseuds/AnotherGreyUser'>AnotherGreyUser</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:47:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,146</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606463</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherGreyUser/pseuds/AnotherGreyUser</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eret's betrayal affected everyone, but no one more than Eret himself. Alone and guilt-ridden, he was desperate for a second chance.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eret/Wilbur Soot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>204</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Is The Loneliest Number</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It felt like years had passed since that fateful night. One day that changed Eret's life for the worse. Looking back, he couldn't believe he had ever been so foolish as to choose to betray his friends. People he cared so deeply for couldn't stand to be in his presence and what did he gain from it? This too big, too quiet castle.</p><p>It only made him feel more alone.</p><p>Each room was silent, lacking the energy found in the old l'manburg where Tommy ran riot and Wilbur laughed at every joke. His footsteps echoed, emphasising how empty this home - no, house - truly was. Eret paused before the golden throne, swipinf a finger through the collecting dust on one arm rest. He hadn't dared to sit upon it.</p><p>How could he take the place of a king, a leader, when he lacked any of the positive qualities of one. The seat mocked him everytime he passed it, reminding him of the blood and tears he shed to stand here.</p><p>Part of Eret wanted to blame Dream. Accuse the man of ruining him, enticing and bribing him to the wrong side of history, but that was unfair. Eret chose to take the deal, just as Tommy refused to. Every time the man in the mask offered a higher amount of money, Tommy turned away from greed, but Eret wasn't as strong as Tommy.</p><p>He was weak.</p><p>Too weak to refuse or warn his allies and now he payed for his crimes. He sat on the cold, harsh, stone floor and croed. Tears soaked into his cape and his crown fell from his head as his body shook with each wracking sob. It was so cold. He longed for someone to save him from this misery, to hold him tight and banish the cold with warm arms, yet he had no one willing to do so. He had no one.</p><p>His chest ached, his eyes were red rimmed and sore, and his head felt like it was being split in half. Wether that was due to exhaustion from sleepless nights or the deafening wails being echoed back at him, he didn't know.</p><p>However, when his eyes started to slip shut against his will and his head began to droop, he cane to the readobable assumption that it was the prior.</p><p>Sleep embraced him while others didn't.</p><p>~~~</p><p>This routine of misery and heart ache continued day after day. Eret was unsure of exactly how long as the days seemed to melt together, with nothing to set them apart. The time alone was empty and bland, forcing him to think with no distraction from the thoughts. He thought about regret and guilt, loss and broken trust, yet what felt like years later, he thought about something that mattered. Redemption.</p><p>Why was he sat here, wallowing in self-pity and sorrow, when he could be trying to change? If there was even the slightest chance they would see how he'd changed and trust him once more, it was worth attempting. </p><p>He slipped on his sunglasses, abandoned the crown, that was never worth this pain, and stepped outside for the first time in over a week.</p><p>It was a bizarre feeling after so long inside. The sun was warm where the castle wasn't and the world seemed so much brighter. Blue skies, luscious grass and beautiful flowers were so vibrant he was glad he wore sunglasses. They assaulted his senses with ferocity but it was still so much better than the house he stayed in.</p><p>Eret wandered the boardwalk, seeing how so much had changed while he had been hiding like a coward. New buildings and monuments scattered the lands, some better quality than others. He found a small hill and sat upon the soft grass, hidden in the shade of a large oak tree and closed his eyes. He felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, yet this wasn't what he came here for. He was swiftly reminded of this as he was hit with grief upon hearing familiar voices.</p><p>"Eat this, eat this."</p><p>"What the fuck, Tubbo, no!"</p><p>"It's fine, just eat this."</p><p>"Tubbo, you're going to get sick, stop trying to eat pufferfish!"</p><p>"Trust me, they're good for you, just try one."</p><p>Eret chuckled bitterly at the two's antics. He remembered a time when he would be stood with them, laughing at Wilbur and Tommy's futile attempt to stop Tubbo. He gathered the courage and will to talk to the younger two, rising to his feet and walking down to where they stood.</p><p>"Hey guys, how are you doing?" He greeted, doing his best to put on a cheery disposition. He felt it waver upon seeing the reaction of the two, Tommy gaining a look of distrust and anger while Tubbo looked worried.</p><p>"What do you want, traitor?" Tommy growled out between grit teeth. Tubbo urgently whipsered to him although it was too quiet for the tallest to hear.</p><p>"I wanted to know if there was anything I could help with. I want to redeem myself and prove to you I'm not a bad person."</p><p>Tommy and Tubbo shared a look of doubt, but it was quickly overshadowed by glee passing across the face of the blonde.</p><p>"Actually, there is something you can help with. I need wood for a house I'm building but it's taking forever to get. Do you mind-"</p><p>"Of course I'll go with you!" Interrupted Eret, excitedly.</p><p>"I mean, I'm really tired right now, can you go for me instead?"</p><p>"Oh." Eret's mood dropped. "I was thinking we could go together."</p><p>"Maybe next time, but, you know, friends help out friends. Please Eret?"</p><p>Eret tried to mask his joy but failed easily. The prospect of a chance to help and implication of possible friendship was more than he had hoped for, expecting to get turned away.</p><p>Tommy noticed this.</p><p>"What type of wood do you need?" Eret inquired.</p><p>"Oak is fine, I need a lot though, can you get... a stack?"</p><p>"Tommy, don't you think that's a bit too much?" Tubbo input nervously, with a face that reflected... guilt? Eret shook off the thought. He was happy to do whatever it took to regain their trust, Tubbo had no reason to feel guilty. He deserved the punishment of such labour.</p><p>"It's fine Tubbo, I'm happy to help." He smiled reassuringly at the boy, but he didn't return it.</p><p>"Well, I'll see you later Eret. Bye!" With that, Tommy grabbed Tubbo's hand and dragged him away, whispering between themselves as they went.</p><p>Their behaviour was blatantly suspicious, yet Eret was too desperate to notice. Or maybe he was aware but refused to acknowledge the first interaction he'd had in weeks wasn't real. Maybe he was hoping for the bliss of ignorance, knowing this false forgiveness was the most he'd ever get. Either way, as he walked to his castle to fetch his strongest axe, he had a smile on his face. The first he'd had since he took everyone to the final control room. </p><p>~~~</p><p>The logs continued to stack up as he worked through the day and into the night. By now he was growing tired, shoulders and back aching with each swing, yet he refused to stop. He deserved the pain which only increased as he gathered more wood. His hands were blistered and raw from the hours of clutching the wooden handle, feeling it rub against soft skin as he slammed it down.</p><p>Sweat beaded on his forehead and he swept it away, placing the axe by the most recent stump and stacking the logs in his arms. They trembled with the exertion and the precarious tower threatened to fall. Eret narrowly managed to stabilise it before making his final trip to Tommy's house.</p><p>He left the logs by the much larger pile already there and marveled at his own work. He didn't think he was capable of collecting so much in such little time, considering he wasn't the strongest and he'd spent so long doing nothing. Tommy emerged from his base with Tubbo in tow just as Eret was bracing himself to walk the distance back to his castle.</p><p>It was Tubbo who noticed the absurd amount of resources first, a look of awe shadowed with guilt passing over him. Tommy noticed his friend's peculiar expression and turned to look at what had caused it. Immediately the young boy was overcome with glee, knowing this was a sign. A sign Eret was willing to do whatever it took to gain their approval. Tommy wasn't intending to be malicious in his actions, simply seeing an oppertunity to gain without needing to do any manual labour.</p><p>He had no idea what this false hope was doing to the man he once called his friend.</p><p>Eret saw the joy upon his face but chalked it up to him being happy with the productivity. That night, or rather day for by the time he got home the sun was rising into a blue sky, he slept better than ever before. The painful clenching in his chest unfurled and the sickening self-hatred lessened ever so slightly. The fact he was so tired from working all night may have also factored into his rest but it was impossible to tell. He finally fell asleep.</p><p>~~~</p><p>This was the first of many occasions. Each request was different and varied in difficulty. Some days Tommy needed only a blue flower from the swamp, other days Eret was forced to dig in the dark until his hands were coated in coal dust and the sunlight burnt his eyes, even through sunglasses. Each day Tubbo would plead to Tommy to be honest with Eret but he was consistently shrugged off.</p><p>"It's not a big deal Tubbo, he's happy to help, and I'm happy to have an assistant. If he wants to stop, he can."</p><p>Tommy was blind to the effects his actions had. He was never there to see the sun burn marring Eret's shoulders after a long day of gathering food. He didn't get to see Eret remove his glasses which hid dark bags, emphasised by pale skin. No one saw Eret soothing blistered, bloody hands with magma cream after he handled various tools. To Tommy, he was causing no harm and Tubbo didn't know how to show him the truth.</p><p>However, the truth always comes to light, one way or another.</p><p>It was a day like any other, Eret had spent most of it mining for stone to complete Tommy's tower and was dragging the large stack back to the plot of land cleared for the structure. He had learnt ways to reduce the strain of the almost constant work and this was the most useful. Placing the resources in a boat he dragged by a lead allowed faster transportation, however Tommy wasn't aware of this method he used to cut down time. That is why Eret was capable of catching his conversation.</p><p>"-eep doing this Tommy, he's gonna find out sooner or later!" Tubbo begged, sounding desperate.</p><p>"So what, it's not like we're friends or anything." </p><p>Eret froze just outside the clearing, hidden by a thin line of trees. There's no way they're talking about him... right?</p><p>"He thinks you are! It's gonna crush him!"</p><p>"Yeah? Well it crushed me when he betrayed us Tubbo! I died that night! YOU died that night!"</p><p>Eret felt his throat tighten, hands trembling and dropping the lead.</p><p>"Yeah, but it's been months now, he wants a second chance. I forgave him, why can't you?"</p><p>"Maybe one day I won't hate him, but today isn't that day Tubbo. I can't look at him without remembering what he did."</p><p>"Tommy..."</p><p>Eret backed away slowly, hot tears trailing down his cheeks. His vision blurred and he failed to see the branch behind him. The crack of it snapping echoed through the silent space, causing the two friends to look towards Eret.</p><p>They barely made out who it was before Eret turned and fled, ignoring the scratches of tree branches as he ran.</p><p>His figure vanished behind the wood line leaving the two boys alone in the clearing, Tubbo shell shocked and Tommy disappointed.</p><p>A moment passed where neither moved, however the fragile silence was shattered as Tubbo turned to face Tommy and spoke.</p><p>"Tommy you need to apologise to him."</p><p>"What?! Why?"</p><p>"You don't need to like him, but don't lead him on like that."</p><p>"Listen, he'll get over i-"</p><p>"It doesn't matter if he will get over it, it's still cruel!"</p><p>"Tubbo, I-"</p><p>"No Tommy, you messed up. You need to step up and admit it, and if you don't..."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I'll tell Wilbur."</p><p>Tommy laughed at first, but when he saw how serious Tubbo was, he realised it wasn't a joke. The blood drained from his face, leaving him pale.</p><p>He was fucked.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hallo Hallo Hallo!</p><p>I got bored so I put names in a hat and drew two. They were Wilbur and Eret as you'd guess so I wrote this abomination. It was fun and challenging though, adapting to a ship I've never heard of, so I will almost certainly do this again.</p><p>Also I realise Tommy became the antagonist and I feel bad. I don't think he's evil, even in the roleplay, I just can't see anyone else fitting this role better.</p><p>Anyway, enjoy! Or don't. I'm not the boss of you. Personally, I wouldn't, I think this sucks but oh well.</p><p>~~~</p><p>Okay okay. So.</p><p>This turned out a lot longer than i expected so I'm cutting it up into chapters. Ill try not to drag it out though. Sorry sorry, i know, i keep doing this and i dont mean to, it just sorta happens. </p><p>And yeah... its become Eret centric hurt/comfort... IM SORRY OKAY I CANT HELP IT</p></blockquote></div></div>
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